The factors affecting innovation have been largely investigated in the context of industrialized or large developing countries. Innovation is, however, equally important for small developing countries also. It is argued in this thesis that the context of innovation in such small economies is sufficiently different to justify research into the relative potency of factors influencing innovation and the practice of innovation management. These differentiated innovation practices will also have repercussions for the national innovation policy of a small developing country. The present research was conducted in Cyprus, a small developing country. A large number of manufacturing small and medium sized firms (n =140), were surveyed, during 1995, via a questionnaire administered during personal interviews with the firms' owners or managers. The survey was complemented with more extensive case studies of a subset (n = 25) of the survey sample of firms. A research model based on the antecedents approach was used in the survey research and the data were subjected to various statistical analyses including multivariate techniques. The results indicate that the SME owner/manager plays a central role in innovation, influencing directly and indirectly the main variables affecting innovation. From the multivariate analysis these factors include: strategy, expenditure on R&D, cooperation with external technology providers, use of technological information sources and overall performance of the firm. The case material supports in general these findings and also emphasizes the importance of government policies for innovation. The importance of networking for innovation was partially confirmed, in terms of the cooperation with technology and information providers. However contrary to expectations and literature claims, horizontal networking (cooperation within the sector) was not found important for innovation. Based on these results a number of practical suggestions are offered to both industrial managers and policy makers. It is believed that these suggestions are relevant, not only for Cyprus, but also for other small developing countries.

Introduction: The topic of digital transformation plays an increasingly important role and is nowadays inevitable for firms to stay competitive. However, the effects of digital transformation are described as scattered and how to organize for digital transformation in the context of international manufacturing networks has not been investigated previously. This study sets out to explore the challenges that companies face when organizing for digital transformation. The following research questions were stated: RQ1: How do IMNs currently organize for digital transformation? RQ2: What challenges are IMNs facing when organizing for digital transformation? Method: A systematic literature review was combined with a multiple case study to reach the research objectives. Four case companies working with digital transformation in their International Manufacturing Networks and participating in the research project KODIT were part of the study. By this kind of study research study, the phenomenon of interest can be both examined and described. Thereby, a comprehensive context allows to solidify existing knowledge and create new knowledge in order to answer the research questions.  Frame of References: A literature review was performed to introduce  the concept of International Manufacturing Networks and to create an understanding of digital transformation and  its  related terms. Organizational change, maturity models and success factors, different approaches, roadmaps, and frameworks, were investigated to provide an insight into current ways of organizing for digital transformation. Furthermore, different challenges related to digital transformation were described. Empirical Findings: The empirical findings provide an overview of how the studied case companies work with digital transformation in their manufacturing networks. Each case company has a different understanding of digital transformation and its way of working. Whereby lead factories, cooperation, and collaboration play an important role. At the same time, the case companies face different challenges when working with digital transformation within an International Manufacturing Network. Analysis and Discussion: Organizing for digital transformation includes various aspects such as structural changes, approaches, success factors, maturity models, roadmaps, and frameworks. Whereby, digital transformation can only be successful when applying a holistic perspective. When undergoing the digital transformation journey numerous challenges have to be faced. By analyzing those challenges, it becomes clear that the introduction of a network perspective increases the complexity of digital transformation.   Conclusion and Recommendations: By combining existing literature with a case study, it can be shown how companies currently organize for digital transformation and which aspects are important to consider. Furthermore, a comprehensive overview of potential challenges International Manufacturing Networks can face when working with digital transformation is provided. Hence, this thesis provides a means to develop a holistic understanding of organizing for digital transformation in International Manufacturing Networks. A complete case study is required in the future to validate the findings of this thesis.

In order to contribute to the research for solving the challenge of implementing business sustainability, this study aims to explore the relation between an important aspect of organizational structure; centralization, and an important aspect of sustainability management; setting sustainability objectives. This has been done, in particular, by studying the distribution of decisions related to economic, environmental and social sustainability objectives between different organizational levels in multi-plant manufacturing networks. The research is fundamentally exploratory and has been conducted as a multiple case study, with nine participating case organizations. Data has been used from the nine case organizations, based on semi-structured interviews. Five different decision-making approaches for sustainability have been found; all decisions are centralized and decided at the corporate headquarters, all decisions are aggregated and decided at the central headquarters but adapted and transformed when distributed to lower organizational levels, all decisions are integrated and decided at both the central headquarters and at lower organizational levels, all decisions are decided at an intermediate organizational level, and all decisions are local and decided at the plant level. The findings also show that there is no consistent way of deciding upon sustainability issues, where some case organizations seem to regard sustainability as a global concern, while others regard it as a more local concern. In general, the economic sustainability dimension is regarded as more of a global concern, while the environmental dimension is more of a local concern, and the social dimension more of an integrated concern, where some related issues are decided more centralized while others are decided more local. The findings of this study can act as guidance for managers when implementing or improving their sustainability strategies. The findings also provide empirical data for the academic with the possibility to expand and evaluate the research in the future. / För att bidra till att hitta en lösning till utmaningen med att implementera affärsmässig hållbarhet iorganisationer, syftar den här studien till att undersöka relationen mellan en viktig aspekt av organisationsstruktur: centralisering, och en viktig aspekt av hållbarhetsstrategi: sätta mål. Detta har gjorts genom att kartlägga fördelningen av beslut relaterade till de tre dimensionerna av hållbarhet; ekonomisk, miljö och social, mellan olika organisationsnivåer. Studien är i grunden utforskande och har genomförts som en multipel fallstudie, med nio deltagande fallstudieorganisationer. Det datamaterial som har använts baseras på semistrukturerade intervjuer. Fem olika beslutsstrukturer har hittats: alla beslut är centraliserade och fattas på huvudkontoret, alla beslut är aggregerade och fattas på huvudkontoret men anpassas till respektive lokal nivå, alla beslut är integrerade där vissa fattas på centralnivå medan andra fattas på lokalnivå, alla beslut fattas på en mellannivå i organisationen och alla beslut är lokala och fattas på fabriksnivå. I tillägg till detta, har vi hittat att vissa av organisationerna behandlar hållbarhet som en mer global angelägenhet, medan andra som  en mer lokal angelägenhet. Generellt anses den ekonomiska dimensionen som en mer global angelägenhet, medan den miljömässiga dimensionen betraktas mer som en lokal angelägenhet. Den sociala hållbarhetsdimensionen verkar vara en integrerad angelägenhet, där vissa beslut är  mer globala, medan andra är mer lokala. Studiens resultat ämnar fungera som en guide till företag när de implementerar eller förbättrar sitt hållbarhetsarbete. Resultatet utgör också viktig empirisk data som kan användas i framtida, utvecklande forskning.

This dissertation addresses the topic of manufacturing network strategies, with a particular focus on the plant perspective. Research on manufacturing networks aims at contributing decision support on how to set up and how to coordinate factories that act in a global setting. Manufacturing networks are networks consisting of wholly owned plant, as opposed to supply chains management where also plants belonging to other organisations are considered. Research on the role of the plant in manufacturing networks can help to gain insights in how the network works and how to achieve network-related competitive advantages. Over the last two decades there has been a trend in increased globalisation and when companies expand beyond their home markets there is a leap in complexity that needs to be handled. A survey of Swedish plants shows that a large majority of medium and large sized plants are part in some kind of manufacturing network, making research on such networks highly relevant. The overall objective of this dissertation is to investigate how factories fit into the network in terms of roles, strategic autonomy and market configurations. Much research has either focused on networks as a whole, often assuming similar or identical plants, or the focus has been on plant internal decision. This research addresses the borderland between plant and network. This dissertation addresses two research objectives. The first is to investigate the relationship between networks and plants roles with particular focus on Swedish based networks and plants and the second is to test and further develop the theory on plant roles. The empirical data that was used in the dissertation was the product of a mail survey and a case study at a manufacturer of heat exchangers. The survey was sent to 563 Swedish factories and included information on competitive priorities, processes, plant roles, performance, suppliers, risk as well as general product and company information. Using focus groups, the case company was followed from the start of the project in January 2006. Following the case company during five years gave the opportunity to study networks in transformation. The research contributed to several insights to the area of plant roles and manufacturing networks as well as to practitioners in manufacturing. Internal and external suppliers are handled differently in terms of selection criteria, which indicates different roles in the network. Detailed exploration of individual site competences has lead to an improved model based on competence themes and links between the plant level and the network level have been established. Additionally we contribute to the manufacturing strategy process area by investigating and suggesting a model for strategic decision autonomy in manufacturing networks. The results are aimed at providing guidance for decision making in manufacturing networks as well as providing an improved foundation for further research in the area.

Concevoir les produits complexes tels que les avions, les hélicoptères, et les lanceurs requière l'utilisation de processus standardisés ayant des fondements robustes. Ces processus doivent être exécutés dans le contexte d'environnements collaboratifs interorganisationnels souvent dynamiques. Dans ce manuscrit, nous présentons un cadre formel qui assure une interopérabilité continue dans le temps pour les processus inter-organisationnels dans les environnements dynamiques. Nous proposons un langage de modélisation déclaratif pour définir des contrats qui capturent les objectifs de chaque partenaire intervenant dans la collaboration. Les modèles de contrats construits avec ce langage sous-spécifient les objectifs de la collaboration en limitant les détails capturés durant la phase de construction du contrat. Cette sous-spécification réduit le couplage entre les partenaires de la collaboration. Néanmoins, moins de couplage implique l'apparition de certaines inadéquations quand les processus des partenaires vont s'échanger des messages lors de la phase d'exécution. Par conséquent, nous développons un algorithme de médiation automatique qui est bien adapté pour les environnements dynamiques. Nous conduisons des évaluations de performance sur cet algorithme qui vont démontrer son efficience par rapport aux approches de médiation existantes. Ensuite, nous étendons notre cadre avec un ensemble d'opérations d'administration qui permettent la réalisation de modifications sur l'environnement collaboratif. Nous développons un algorithme qui évalue l'impact des modifications sur les partenaires. Cet algorithme va ensuite décider si la modification doit être réalisée à l'instant ou bien retardée en attendant que des conditions appropriées sur la configuration de l'environnement dynamique soient satisfaites. Pour savoir comment atteindre ces conditions, nous utilisons l'algorithme de planning à base de graphe. Cet algorithme détermine l'ensemble des opérations qui doivent être exécutées pour atteindre ces conditions / Designing complex products such as aircrafts, helicopters and launchers must rely on well-founded and standardized processes. These processes should be executed in the context of dynamic cross-organizational collaboration environments. In this dissertation, we present a formal framework that ensures sustainable interoperability for cross-organizational processes in dynamic environments. We propose a declarative modeling language to define contracts that capture the objectives of each partner in the collaboration. Contract models built using this language under-specify the objectives of the collaboration by limiting the details captured at design-time. This under-specification decreases the coupling between partners in the collaboration. Nevertheless, less coupling leads to the creation of mismatches when partners’ processes will exchange messages at run-time. Accordingly, we develop an automatic mediation algorithm that is well adapted for dynamic environments. We conduct a thorough evaluation of this algorithm in the context of dynamic environments and compare it with existing mediation approaches which will prove its efficiency. We then extend our framework with a set of management operations that help realize the modifications on the collaboration environment at run-time. We develop an algorithm that assesses the impact of modifications on the partners in the collaboration environment. Then, this algorithm decides if the modification can be realized or should be postponed to wait for appropriate conditions. In order to figure out how to reach these appropriate conditions, we use the planning graph algorithm. This algorithm determines the raw set of management operations that should be executed in order to realize these conditions. A raw set of management operations cannot be executed by an engine unless its operations are encapsulated in the right workflow patterns. Accordingly, we extend this planning algorithm in order to generate an executable workflow from the raw set of operations. We evaluate our extension against existing approaches regarding the number and the nature of workflow patterns considered when generating the executable workflow. Finally, we believe that monitoring contributes in decreasing the coupling between partners in a collaboration environment

Since the dawn of globalization, manufacturing companies around the world have been expanding their global footprint to stay competitive. International manufacturing network of a company consists of plants with different roles and responsibilities spread across different locations around the world. Due to this increasing geographical dispersion and competitiveness, effective co-ordination of these  plants has become a priority along with achieving effective and efficient operations. This led to the development of the Core plant role. Core plants are the manufacturing plants that aims to achieve competitive and effective production, generate and transfer knowledge, while leading and coordinating the other plants within the network.     However,  the core plant role varies significantly across companies and academia  due to a lack of a common understanding regarding  its responsibilities and objectives. Furthermore, the performance of core plants are being measured with the same generic KPIs  as the other plants, even though their roles and responsibilities varies significantly. As a result, it has become difficult to measure their true performance and contribution of value to the network. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the development of comprehensive performance  measurement system that collectively measures the true performance and value of the core plant role to its international manufacturing network. Initially, the thesis investigates and bridges the mentioned knowledge gap with a two-tier literature review, before establishing their validity and relative importance in empirical context through survey.  The survey approach is also utilized to assess the current situation of performance measurement among core plants of different manufacturing companies.   The  findings suggest that ‘attaining operational excellence’ has the highest strategic importance but  this responsibility  only extends to  individual plant level not the network level. The core plant, network level responsibility ‘knowledge generation’ has the highest relative strategic importance and ‘Capability development’ has the lowest relative  strategic importance. The findings also reveal that the performance measurement systems of network level  core plant responsibilities are either poorly developed or non-existent.  The thesis concludes with a suggestion of a conceptual framework that provides the guidelines to develop a comprehensive performance measurement system for core plants. The findings and suggestions are of practical relevance to the top management of international manufacturing companies and academia for conducting future research.

Production sites in international manufacturing networks tend to have different responsibilities and roles in the network. One common classification of plants is to divide the sites into one core plant and several other production units or subsidiaries, where the core plant has an active role in the creation and transfer of knowledge, innovation and know-how, concerning products and processes. Efficient knowledge management within the manufacturing network is seen as a key success factor for companies and consequently an issue of high strategic priority for firms. In a time where the firm's competitive advantage lies in the ability to efficiently transfer knowledge among the plants in the network, it becomes increasingly important for the core plant and its subsidiaries to possess the required capabilities to be able to address the complexity of knowledge management and successfully manage, transfer, receive and apply the knowledge. The aim of the study is therefore to explore how knowledge can be transferred from the core plant to its subsidiaries and which capabilities and prerequisites that are required by both the core plant and the subsidiaries to achieve an efficient knowledge transfer. To achieve the aim of the study, a literature review and a case study at GKN Aerospace has been performed, which included semi- structured interviews, observation and document studies. The case study explores knowledge management and knowledge transfers both from a general network perspective and through three applied knowledge transfers projects that have been performed at the case company. The studied projects are knowledge transfers and collaborations between the site in Trollhättan, which has a natural but informal role of supporting other sites in the network, and three different sites in the United states; El Cajon, Newington and Cincinnati. The empirical findings were categorized into two main parts; general knowledge transfers in the network and the specific projects. These findings were then compared to the theoretical framework in the analysis to provide a discussion around each research question. The analysis constitutes the foundation for the conclusions, discussion and recommendations. In the conclusion of this study the importance of formalizing the responsibilities and roles of the sites in a manufacturing network is highlighted. It is also crucial to assign a team of supporting experts, with the responsibility of performing and improving the knowledge sharing and transfer activities performed in the organization. To achieve a successful knowledge transfer between sites it is, further, essential to establish a clear and straightforward strategy in terms of knowledge management to facilitate the transfer and sharing in the network and reduce the complexity. Guidelines identified in this study, for working with knowledge transfers, are to use a structured process, a solid planning, assure the involvement of all parties and perform face- to- face meetings at the receiving site. / Fabriker i internationella tillverkningsnätverk tenderar att ha olika ansvarsområden och roller i nätverket. En vanlig klassificering är att dela in de i en core plant och flera andra produktionsenheter eller systerfabriker (subsidiaries) där core plant innehar en aktiv roll i skapandet och överföringen av kunskap, innovation och “know-how” när det kommer till produkter och processer. Effektiv knowledge management inom tillverkningsnätverket ses som en viktig framgångsfaktor för företag och är följaktligen en fråga med hög strategisk prioritet. I en tid då företagets konkurrensfördelar ligger i förmågan att effektivt överföra kunskap mellan produktionsenheterna i ett nätverk, blir det allt viktigare för core plant och dess systerfabriker att besitta de förmågor som krävs för att kunna hantera komplexiteten i knowledge management. Fabrikerna måste på ett framgångsrikt sätt kunna hantera, överföra, ta emot och tillämpa kunskapen. Syftet med studien är följaktligen att undersöka hur kunskap kan överföras från en core plant till dess systerfabriker samt de förmågor och förutsättningar som krävs av både core plant och systerfabrikerna för att uppnå en effektiv kunskapsöverföring. För att kunna uppnå syftet med studien har en litteraturstudie och en fallstudie, på GKN Aerospace, genomförts. Fallstudien inkluderar semi-strukturerade intervjuer, observationer och dokumentstudier. I fallstudien undersöks knowledge management och kunskapsöverföring både från ett generellt nätverksperspektiv och genom att studera tre tillämpade projekt som har genomförts på fallföretaget. De studerade projekten innefattar kunskapsöverföring och samarbete mellan fabriken i Trollhättan, som har en naturlig men informell roll i att stötta andra fabriker i nätverket, och tre olika produktionsenheter i USA; El Cajon, Newington och Cincinnati. De empiriska resultaten har kategoriserats i två huvuddelar; generella kunskapsöverföringar i nätverket samt de specifika projekten. Resultaten har sedan jämförts med studiens teoretiska referensram i en analys för att tillhandahålla en diskussion kring varje forskningsfråga. Analysen utgör grunden för studiens slutsatser, diskussion och rekommendationer. I studiens slutsatser lyfts betydelsen av att formalisera ansvar och fabrikers roller i ett nätverk. Det är också nödvändigt att tillsätta en grupp av supporterande experter med ansvaret att genomföra och förbättra kunskapsöverföringar samt dela och sprida kunskap inom organisationen. För att kunna uppnå en lyckad kunskapsöverföring mellan fabriker i nätverket är det, ytterligare, av vikt att etablera en tydligt och rättfram strategi i form av knowledge management för att underlätta kunskapsöverföring och -delning i nätverket samt för att reducera komplexiteten. Riktlinjer för att arbeta med kunskapsöverföringar, som har identifierats genom studien är användandet av en strukturerad genomförandeprocess, en gedigen planering, involverande av alla parter i kunskapsöverföringen samt att personligen träffa den mottagande arbetsgruppen på plats på den fabriken. / COPE - Core Plant Excellence